Wrapping apparatus with rotary horizontal lift

ABSTRACT

A wrapping apparatus for soap bars and the like having a significantly increased production capacity. Product handling in a typical known wrapping device usually contemplates the feed movement of the product into the wrapping station incident to a cranking cycle, and thus a correspondingly restrictive production capability of a single product wrapping per operative cycle. In contrast, the apparatus hereof processes plural products for wrapping per operative cycle, thereby significantly increasing productivity. Increased productivity is attributable, in large measure, to a horizontal lift mechanism which during a single rotation of its rotary drive engages and transports plural soap bars to a wrapping station. In a noteworthy manner, the lifting surface of this mechanism is maintained in a necessary horizontal orientation throughout its 360* rotative traverse.

United States Patent 1191 [ll] 1 ea Giles Feb. 5, 1974 WRAPPING APPARATUS WITH ROTARY 1,587,495 6/1926 Arnold 53/228 HORIZONTAL LlFl Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee [75] Inventor. William H. Giles, Westbury, NY. Assistant Examiner john sipos [73] Assignee: Van Buren Industries, Inc., Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bauer & Amer Westbury, N.Y. 22 Filed: June 5, 1972 L d th rk h wrapping apparatus or soap ars an e 1 e av- [21] Appl. No.. 259,450 ing a significantly increased production capacity. Product handling in a typical known wrapping device 52 us. c1. 53/234 usually contemplates tho feed movement of the P 51 1m. (:1 B65b 1l/36 not into the pp Station incident to a cranking [58] Field of Search 53/225, 226, 228, 234; cycle, n thus a correspondingly restrictive produo [98/158, 138 .tion capability of a single product wrapping per operative cycle. In contrast, the apparatus hereof processes [56] R f r Cit d plural products for wrapping per operative cycle,

UNITED STATES PATENTS thereby significantly increasing productivity. 3,221,902 12/1965 Young 198/211 x Increased Productivity is attributable, in large 57 5 [0/195] osojnakm 193/133 measure, to a horizontal lift mechanism which during 2,723,516 11/1955 Malhiot 53/234 x a single rotation of its rotary drive engages and 2,918,772 12/1959 Bell et a1 53/228 transports plural soap bars to a wrapping station. In a 3,567,551 3/1971 Dullinger 156/391 noteworthy manner, the lifting surface of this 3,356,233 12/1967 De Filipprs 198/211 X mechanism is maintained in a necessary horizontal 2 351 13 $323 $237251.1113:1133: "1131? $9533; Orientation though mm 1,875,183 8/1932 Spriggs 198/138 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTED FEB 5 I974 SHEE! 1 BF 3 WRAPPING APPARATUS WITH ROTARY HORIZONTAL LIFT The present invention relates to improvements in product-wrapping apparatus, and more particularly to a soap bar or similar product wrapping apparatus in which the improvements contribute to a significantly increased productivity.

During the typical operation of known wrapping devices, a product-handling mechanism operated by a crank, piston or the like, urges the product to be wrapped to a wrapping station and then said mechanism returns to its starting or ready position to repeat its cycle of operation. As a result, only a single product is wrapped per operative cycle, and any increase in productivity is restricted to increasing and the speed of movement, which has its limitations.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel, rotary product feed, in each cycle of operation of which plural products are processed for wrapping, thereby overcoming production limitations as well as other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to engage and urge plural products, one at a time, through a rotative traverse from a source thereof to a work or wrapping station, and during this rotative traverse maintain a necessary horizontal orientation in the product. Thus, in contrast to employing a sliding feed movement such as was typical of the prior art in order to maintain handling control over the product, the feed hereof uses a rotative feed movement, but with the same extent of handling control over the product. Moreover, during said rotative feed movement,

several products are readily handled by circumferentially spaced product-engaging devices, thereby in creasing the operative cycle prodictivity of the wrapping apparatus.

A horizontal lift embodied in the wrapping apparatus hereof which demonstrates objects and advantages of the present invention includes two laterally spaced rotary members bounding a lifting station therebetween, these members having rotation axes, which are located a prescribed operative distance from each other. Product-lifting platforms are arranged in straddling relation between the rotary members and are supported thereon at bearing connections which are also spaced apart from each other said prescribed operative distance, to thereby provide these connections with the same angular relation and location from each rotation axis. Thus, when each platform is urged through lifting movement incident to simultaneous rotation of the rotary members, the platform cannot rotate about one bearing connection to the preference of the other, since rotation cannot occur about two different rotation axes, with the net result that each platform is maintained in a desired horizontal orientation throughout its rotative traverse.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B are simplified, diagram'atic views illustrating various aspects of the invention hereof, FIG. 1 illustrating the mode of operation of the wrapping apparatus, FIG. 1A an early stage position of the wrapper relative to the product being wrapped, and FIG. 1B the completed wrapped product;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, in which structural details of the components have been omitted and instead, the movement of these component parts during operation of the wrapping apparatus are highlighted;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary wrapping apparatus according to the present invention showing structural details of the component parts thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, projected from FIG. 3, taken in section on line 4- 4 of FIG. 3, showing further structural details of the component parts.

Reference is now made to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, IA, 11B and 2, in which the mode of operation is diagramatically illustrated of the wrapping apparatus which is generally designated 10 in FIGS. 3 and 4. Although apparatus 10 is not limited to the end use of providing paper wrappers 12 about bars of soap 14, as illustrated in FIGS. IA and 18, this is intended as a primary use thereof and thus will be described in the description of the invention which follows.

The overall mode of operation of apparatus 10 contemplates the feeding of the bars of soap 14 in side-byside relation into the apparatus, the feeding from a source of wrappers 12 of an individual wrapper in covering relation over a cooperating bar of soap 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, and then the subsequent folding of this wrapper about the bar of soap to provide the completed wrapped product 16, illustrated in FIG. 18, these products then being urged through exiting movement from the apparatus 10.

The successful operation of the apparatus 10 contemplates, among other requirements, an ability to place the wrapper 12 in superposed relation over the bar of soap 14 and then the handling of this wrappercovered product 12, 14 from above during its movement through the wrapping station of the apparatus. This requirement, in turn, is facilitated by the incorporation in the apparatus 10 of a novel lifting mechanism which is effective in lifting the wrapper-covered product I2, 14 into its required engagement with the product-holder which approaches the product from above. Thus, and as is perhaps best understood from the diagramatic illustration of FIG. 2, plural chain-driven shoes, individually and collectively designated 18, support product-holders during their approach movement into work station 20 from above, such that at said station these product-holders are in position to engage each soap bar 14 and its cooperating superposed wrapper 12.

This engagement is facilitated by a lifting mechanism generally designated 22, which is effective, in a'manner which will now be described in detail, in lifting each bar of soap l4 and superposed wrapper 12 into an elevated position in which it makes contact with and is engaged by a cooperating one of the product-holders 78. (Although not shown in FIG. 2, each product-holder 78 is suspended in depending relation from a cooperating one of the chain-driven shoes 18 which is shown in FIG. 2).

Thus, the soap bar 14 and wrapper l2 combination is lifted into engagement by lifting platforms, individually and collectively designated 24, which form part of a lifting mechanism 22. From the description thus far given, it should be readily appreciated that it is essential that the platforms 24 maintain their horizontal orientation while imparting said lifting feed movement to the soap bar 14 and superposed wrapper l2 and, in fact, this is one of the significant and noteworthy operating features of the lifting mechanism 22 of the wrapping apparatus hereof. Once the individual combinations of soap bar 14 and superposed wrapper 12 are engaged from above by the product-holders 78 suspended from the shoes 18, it is a relatively simple matter to transport the same through feed movement to a wrapping station at which the edges of the wrapper 12 which extend beyond soap bar 14 are folded against the surfaces of the soap bar. It should be readily appreciated that since the soap bar 14 and superposed wrapper 12 are supported from above, by placing the extending edges of the wrapper 12, as contemplated in accordance with the present invention, in depending relation below the soap bar 14, these dependingwrapper edges are readily accessible to wrapping mechanisms, the operation of which are not impeded or otherwise adversely affected by the presence of the product holders 78 which, at this time, are engaging the soap bar and wrapper 12, 14 from above.

Reference should still be had to the diagramatic view of FIG. 2 in which the principles underlying the operation of the lifting mechanism 22 and which contribute to maintaining the horizontal orientation of the lifting platforms 24 are most clearly illustrated. These same underlying principles are also utilized in maintaining the horizontal orientation of the chain-driven shoes 18, and thus the horizontal orientation of the productholders 78 suspended from these shoes. Specifically, the lifting mechanism 22 includes two rotary members 26 and 28, each having circular bodies. While both the members 26 and 28 are journalled for rotation in the same horizontal plane, the axis of rotation 30 of member 26 is in advance of the axis of rotation 32 of member 28 by the prescribed distance 34, for a reason which will soon be apparent. Moreover, the members 26 and 28 are disposed in laterally spaced relation from each other so that they bound a lifting station therebetween which is located just beneath the work station 20.

The previously noted lifting platforms 24 are disposed in circumferential relation to each other, there being three in number in the illustrated embodiment, and thus at an angular spacing of approximately l20 from each other. Most important, however, is the manner in which the platforms 24 are supported in straddling relation between the members 26 and 28. On each of its opposite sides, each platform 24 has a single bearing connection to the member 26 or 28 that is adjacent to it, as the case may be. Thus, member 26, which is illustrated in full line perspective, has a bearing connection, as at 36, at the side of platform 24 which is adjacent to this member, while at its other side, the platform has a bearing connection 38 to the member 28. Here again, although the bearing connections 36 and 38 are in the same horizontal plane, the connection 36 to member 26 is located in advance of connection 38 to member 28 by the same distance 34 that the rotative axes 30, 32 of these two members are spaced apart from each other. This offset spacing 34 between the rotation axes 30 and 32 and also between the bearing connections 36 and 38 thus provide each bearing connection 36, 38 with the same angular relation and distance from their respective rotation axes 30, 32.

Also, and most important, as the platform 24 is urged through lifting movement 40, incident to simultaneous rotation of the members 26 and 28, there cannot be any rotation of the platform 24 about the bearing rotation axis 36 in preference to rotation about the other bearing rotation axis 38, since there cannot be rotation about two different axes of rotation at the same time, and thus the platform 24 does not partake of any rotation at all. Instead, each platform 24 during its lifting movement 40 partakes of adjusting movements within each of the bearing connections 36 and 38 that are necessary to maintain the horizontal orientation of the platform. In this way, the soap bar 14 and superposed wrapper 12 that is ultimately engaged by the platform 24 during the initial lifting movement traverse of the platform is maintained in a necessary horizontal orientation as it approaches the product-holders 78 suspended from the shoes 18.

In essentially the same manner as just described in connection with the rotary members 26 and 28, the horizontal orientation of the shoes 18 are maintained during the feed movement imparted to these shoes during operation of endless loops of chain 41 and 43. Specifically, the chains 41, 43 will be understood to be entrained about a pair of spaced-apart sprockets, the rotational axes of which are in the same horizontal plane but are spaced apart by the selected distance 42 by virtue of the location of the rotation axes at spaced locations 44 and 46. The shoes 18 are disposed in spanning relation between the two side-by-side chain drives 41 and 43 and have a single bearing or pivotal connection to each chain drive. Thus, each shoe 18 is pivotally connected, as at 48 and 50, to one or the other of the chain drives 41 and 43, and the distance between the connections 48 and 50 is of the same extent 42 that the chain drives 41 and 43 are separated from each other, particularly in the critical approach into the work station 20, during which it is most important that the product-holder 78 suspended from the shoe 18 have a horizontal orientation in order to properly engage the soap bar 14 and superposed wrapper 12 being lifted into the work station 20. Here again, simultaneous feed movement 52 and 54 of the chain drives 41 and 43 produces a corresponding descending movement of each shoe 18 supported between these two chain drives into the work station 20. During this descending movement, there can be no rotation of the shoe about the pivotal or bearing connection 50 to the preference of similar rotative movement about the pivot 48 of the other connection since there cannot be rotation about two different rotation axes at the same time, and thus each shoe 18 is constrained to a horizontal orientation devoid of any rotative movement about either axis 48 or 50 during its descending movement approach into the work station 20.

It will also be noted in the diagramatic illustration of FIG. 2 that it is a relatively simple matter to have a cooperating platform 24 and shoe l8 converge with each other at the work station 20 by the simple expedient of properly spacing the platforms 24 and shoes 18. Specifically, the equivalent of the degree spacing, designated 56, between adjacent platforms 24 is embodied in the spacing 58 between adjacent shoes 18, so that every time a shoe 18 descends into its proper position at the work station 20, a platform 24 is simultaneously lifted into the work station 20 to cooperate with that shoe. With the above understanding of the significant underlying principles of operation of the apparatus 10, reference should now be had to FIGS. 3 and 4 which illustrate an exemplary construction for a wrapping apparatus embodying these principles of operation.

The illustrated apparatus includes at its entrance or right end as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, a product-feed track having side guide rails 60 and 62 and a bottom conveyor pulley belt 64 which is effective in urging side-by-side soap bars 14 through feed movement onto a narrow positioning platform 66 which is located at the entrance of the work station 20. Platform 66 has a forward extending curved arm which functions as a stop for the soap bars 14 being urged through feed movement by the belt 64. Each platform 24 has bifurcated arms 68, 70 bounding a slot 71 therebetween' i into the work station 20. As already described, during ascending or lifting movement 40 of the engaged soap bar l4, since the platform 24 supporting thesame maintains its horizontal orientation, the soap bar 14 thereon also is maintained in this necessary orientation.

The lifting traverse 40 of the platform 24 ultimately carries the soap bar 14 supported thereon into the elevated position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, in which it is adjacent the bottom opening 76 of a product-holder 78 appropriately suspended from a previously noted chain-driven shoe 18; At this elevated position, the

soap bar 14 is in proper position to receive in covering relation thereover the previously noted superposed of several well-known constructions. Mechanism 80 includes a source or stack of wrappers 82 and a gripping device 84 which is effective in feeding wrappers, one at a time, from the bottom of the stack into feed rollers 86 and 88 which are effective in feeding the wrapper 12 into its superposed position over the soap bar 14. For present purposes, it suffices to note that the initial position of the wrapper 12 relative to the soap bar 14 is that illustrated in FIG. 4 and that the wrapper 12 is oversized so that it has leading and trailing edges 90 and 92, respectively, which extend beyond the soap bar 14. The significance of this is that, as will be described subsequently, the edges 90 and 92 are ultimately initially caused to assume a depending position extending below the soap bar 14, and this depending position affords sufficient access for folding mechanisms to these depending edges to permit effective wrapping of the soap bar.

After positioning of the wrapper 12, the wrappercovered product is then lifted by its support platform 24 actually into the holder opening 76 and, during this entering movement is engaged by a spring-actuated grip 94. Entering movement is again the frictional opposition of a slidably disposed plunger 96 having a lower gripping pad or surface 95.

Still referring to FIG. 4, it should be readily appreciated that clockwise rotation of the sprocket gears, as for example the gears 100 and 102, which support the endless loops of chain, such as chain 43, results in feed movement of the product-holder 70 through the apparatus l0. Ultimately a position of feed movement results in which the wrapper-covered product reaches the terminal end of the curved arm 72, which position may be taken as delineating the start of the wrapping station 104 of the apparatus 10. At station 104, continuation of the curvature of the partially wrapped condition of the wrapper 12 about the soap bar 14 results in the wrapper leading edge 90 assuming a depending position extending below the soap bar 14. This position, however, has to be altered to delay folding of the leading edge 90 at this point, and to achieve this, use is made of an air jet 106 having the advantageous position illustrated which properly reorientsthe leading edge 90 so that it is urged through unfolding movement relative to' the soap bar 14 by a folding pulley belt 108. Belt 108, as'clearly illustrated, is entrained about support pulleys ll 10 and 112, the latter being powered in the direction of rotation 114 to impart a corresponding directional movement to the pulley belt 100 to prevent folding of the wrapper leading edge 90 and, more important, to effectuate folding of the trailing wrapper edge 92.

More specifically, while the wrapper-covered product is still engaged by the product-holder 78, it is carried to a position in which it is almost directly above the pulley 110. In FIG. 4, a soap bar 14 and wrapper 12 are shown in this position, and it will be understood that the holder 78 is still in engagement therewith, although said holder is omitted in FIG. 4, for reasons of clarity and also to maintain an accurate showing of the spacing which exists between adjacent shoes 18. In any event, from what has already been described, it should be readily appreciated that once the wrapper trailing edge 92 passes the jet 106, the pressure air 116 issuing therefrom is effective in initiating a folding movement in the wrapper 12. This is achieved by a wrapper feed mechanism, generally designated 80, which may be of any one wrapper trailing edge 92 towards the soap bar 14. Ultimately, the wrapper trailing edge 92 is also engaged by the pulley belt 108 moving in the direction 114, and since it will be understood that the belt movement 114 is at a greater rate of speed than the feed movement of the products through the apparatus 10, the pulley belt wrapper-covered product 14 at the wrapping station 104, the wrapper leading edge extends in depending relation to the soap bar 14, aided in this respect by the pressure air issuing from another air jet 118. Thus, continued feed movement carries the wrapper leading edge 90 into contact with a folding abuttment 120 which results in the folding of this edge about the soap bar 14 and over the previously folded wrapper trailing edge 92, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 4. This feed movement also carries the partially wrapped product onto a support platform 1.22, which will be understood to include a heating coil (not shown), the operation of which coil in a well understood manner is effective in softening an adhesive applied to the contacting portions of the trailing and leading edges 90, 92, and thus in causing the adhesive securement of these edges.

Still referring to FIG. 4, it should be readily apparent that continued feed movement results in corresponding movement of the soap bar and wrapper 12, 14 along the support platform 122 to a point where the opposite ends of the soap bar pass under holding bars 124 which hold the product while the product-holder 78 is eased therefrom during its ascending portion of its closed path of movement. During the upper run of the product-holder 78, the plungers 96 engage a cam surface 126 which resets the lower pad surface 95 in the product-holder bottom opening 76.

To impart the rotary motions heretofore described, use is advantageously made of a prime mover 128, which may be an electric motor or the like, having a pulley belt drive connection 130 to a pulley 132 which operates the previously noted feed conveyor 64. Prime mover 128 is also advantageously used to drive, via the drive members 134 and 136, which may be intermeshing gears, the previously noted rotary members 26 and 28 of the lifting mechanism 22. Also, it will be understood that prime mover 128 has an operative drive connection 138 to one of the sprocket gears, for example sprocket 102, of the chain drives 41, 43. The latter assures a coordinated speed of movement between the product-holders 78 and the lift platforms 24, such that these components which close upon a soap bar 14 from opposite directions, do so in synchronization with each other.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be understood that in addition to the folding of the wrapper leading and trailing edges 90 and 92, respectively, that the laterally extending edges of the wrapper are also folded against the soap bar 14. This folding operation, however, is readily achieved with any one of a number of conventional folding devices. One such device which has been found to be effective consists of a pair of inwardly extending cooperating arms I40 and 142, each pivotally mounted at one end, as at 144, and each presenting folding shapes I46 and 148 on their free ends projected into the path of feed movement of the laterally extending side edges of the paper wrapper l2. Functioning in a well understood manner, the shapes 146, 148 engage and cause folding of the laterally extending portions of the wrapper 12.

Also best illustrated in FIG. 3 are the structural features which cooperate with those that have already been described in detail in connection with FIG. 4 and to which, for simplicitys sake, the same reference numerals have been affixed. Thus, the closed loop of chain 41, like the closed loop of chain 43, is entrained about spaced-apart sprocket gears 100 and 102.

It should be readily appreciated that there has been described herein an apparatus which constitutes a noteworthy soap bar wrapping apparatus having a significant production capacity. Unlike known wrapping apparatuses which generally employ a rotating crank to move the soap bar being wrapped into wrapping position, and thus have a limited production of one wrapped product per cycle of operation, the production capacity of the apparatus 10 hereof, by virtue of its use of the novel lifting mechanism 22, is not bound by this restriction. Specifically, as described, the lifting mechanism 22 is capable of positioning at least three soap bars 14 in each single revolution of the rotary drive members 26 and 28. In some circumstances, it may even be possible to handle even a greater number of products.

As described, the plural product-handling platforms 24 which are operated by the rotary members 26 and 28 are effective because their rotative traverse or movement does not alter their horizontal orientation.

While this feature is essential to the operation of the apparatus 10, it should be readily apparent that a lifting device or mechanism which is maintained horizontal during its movement may also have utility in other applications, and therefore the concepts and principles of operation underlying and providing this result will be understood not to be limited solely to the wrapping apparatus described herein.

A latitude of modifications, change and subsitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrapping apparatus for soap bars and the like comprising an endless arrangement of product-holders operatively arranged for movement from above into a work station, two spaced-apart rotary members bounding opposite sides of said work station, a separate rotary axis for each said rotary member located a prescribed operative distance from each other, a cooperating pair of bearing mounting means operatively arranged said same prescribed operative distance from each other on each said rotary member at the same angular relation and distance from said rotary axis of each, a lift platform in straddling relation between said ,rotary members supported at said bearing mounting means, prime mover means for simultaneously driving said rotary means in rotation to thereby lift a product supported on said lift platform into holding engagement with one said product-holder, means dispensing wrappers, one at a time, in covering relation over each product during said lifting thereof into said holding engagement with one said product-holder such that said wrapper leading and trailing edges extend beyond opposite ends of said product in depending relation therewith, means urging said wrapper-covered product in I feed movement through a wrapping station, a conveyor belt adapted to engage said wrapper-covered product from below moving at a speed exceeding said feed movement effective to cause folding of said wrapper depending trailing edge against said product, and a folding abuttment located in the path of movement of said wrapper depending leading edge effective to cause the folding thereof against said product.

2. A wrapping apparatus for soap bars and the like comprising an endless arrangement of product-holders operatively arranged for movement from above into a work station, two spaced-apart rotary members bounding opposite sides of said work station, a separate rotary axis for each said rotary member located a prescribed operative distance from each other, cooperating pairs of bearing mounting means operatively arranged said same prescribed operative distance from each other on each said rotary member at the same angular relation and distance from said rotary axis ofv each, plural circumferentially spaced lift platforms in straddling relation between said rotary members supported at said bearing mounting means, prime mover means for simultaneously driving said rotary means in rotation to thereby successively lift products supported on said lift platforms into holding engagement with each said product-holder, means dispensing wrappers, one at a time, in covering relation over each product during said lifting thereof into said holding engagement with said product-holder, and means urging said wrapper-covered product in feed movement through a wrapping station.

* l at: 

1. A wrapping apparatus for soap bars and the like comprising an endless arrangement of product-holders operatively arranged for movement from above into a work station, two spaced-apart rotary members bounding opposite sides of said work station, a separate rotary axis for each said rotary member located a prescribed operative distance from each other, a cooperating pair of bearing mounting means operatively arranged said same prescribed operative distance from each other on each said rotary member at the same angular relation and distance from said rotary axis of each, a lift platform in straddling relation between said rotary members supported at said bearing mounting means, prime mover means for simultaneously driving said rotary means in rotation to thereby lift a product supported on said lift platform into holding engagement with one said product-holder, means dispensing wrappers, one at a time, in covering relation over each product during said lifting thereof into said holding engagement with one said product-holder such that said wrapper leading and trailing edges extend beyond opposite ends of said product in depending relation therewith, means urging said wrapper-covered product in feed movement through a wrapping station, a conveyor belt adapted to engage said wrapper-covereD product from below moving at a speed exceeding said feed movement effective to cause folding of said wrapper depending trailing edge against said product, and a folding abuttment located in the path of movement of said wrapper depending leading edge effective to cause the folding thereof against said product.
 2. A wrapping apparatus for soap bars and the like comprising an endless arrangement of product-holders operatively arranged for movement from above into a work station, two spaced-apart rotary members bounding opposite sides of said work station, a separate rotary axis for each said rotary member located a prescribed operative distance from each other, cooperating pairs of bearing mounting means operatively arranged said same prescribed operative distance from each other on each said rotary member at the same angular relation and distance from said rotary axis of each, plural circumferentially spaced lift platforms in straddling relation between said rotary members supported at said bearing mounting means, prime mover means for simultaneously driving said rotary means in rotation to thereby successively lift products supported on said lift platforms into holding engagement with each said product-holder, means dispensing wrappers, one at a time, in covering relation over each product during said lifting thereof into said holding engagement with said product-holder, and means urging said wrapper-covered product in feed movement through a wrapping station. 